This embroidered panel used as a table cloth is created using Peking knots and metallic thread couching. Beaded tassels run along the edges of the panel. It is an example of beadwork which is an important aspect of Peranakan material culture. It contains floral and bird motifs. ‘Manek kacha’ is a term generally used to refer to the tiny and brightly coloured glass beads that were likely to have been imported from Europe. Steel beads were also used by Peranakan Chinese in the Straits Settlements. Stitching, a technique where beads were fastened onto a fabric base with needle and thread, is probably the most commonly seen method of beadwork.
